'''Library of Congress guidelines on [http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/personalarchiving/ "How to Preserve Your Own Digital Materials"]'''

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Just out December 2015: [http://dx.doi.org/10.7207/twr15-01 "Personal Digital Archiving" by Gabriela Redwine (Yale) and Charles Beagrie Ltd.]

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Includes instructions on how to scan your personal collections, and information about how long digital storage media last. Specific tips are provided for photographs, audio, video, email, personal digital records and websites.

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1) Library of Congress guidelines on [http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/personalarchiving/ "How to Preserve Your Own Digital Materials"] Includes instructions on how to scan your personal collections, and information about how long digital storage media last. Specific tips are provided for photographs, audio, video, email, personal digital records and websites. Additionally, you will find here a video on [http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/multimedia/videos/personalarchiving.html "Why Digital Preservation is Important for you"]. Key points of much of this guidance can be downloaded in a single brochure: [http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/personalarchiving/documents/PA_All_brochure.pdf "Preserving Your Digital Memories"].

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Additionally, you will find here a video on [http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/multimedia/videos/personalarchiving.html "Why Digital Preservation is Important for you"].

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2) [http://oedb.org/blogs/ilibrarian/2012/personal-digital-archiving-ilibrarian-series/ Personal Digital Archiving iLibrarian Series"] Based on a 3-hour hands-on workshop on "Personal Digital Archiving," this site features a series of blog posts by Ellyssa Kroski, Manager of Information Systems at the New York Law Institute.

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Key points of much of this guidance can be downloaded in a single brochure: [http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/personalarchiving/documents/PA_All_brochure.pdf "Preserving Your Digital Memories"].

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3) [http://www.paradigm.ac.uk/workbook/appendices/guidelines-tips.html "Guidelines for creators of personal archives"] This practical overview from the Paradigm project (University of Manchester and JISC) includes practical tips, including intellectual property rights and privacy concerns and the benefits of using open source software.

This practical overview from the Paradigm project (University of Manchester and JISC) includes practical tips, including intellectual property rights and privacy concerns and the benefits of using open source software.

The Library of Congress describes the attributes they consider important when selecting file formats for archiving the LC collections.

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1) [http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/formats/sustain/sustain.shtml "Sustainability of Digital Formats"] The Library of Congress describes the attributes they consider important when selecting file formats for archiving the LC collections. These include disclosure, adoption, transparency, self-documentation, external dependencies, impact of patents, and technical protection mechanisms. They provide a list of different formats, continually updated, and rate them according to these considerations. Look yours up here to see how well LC thinks it rates in terms of these attributes: [http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/formats/fdd/descriptions.shtml "Format Descriptions"].

The U. S. National Archives offers advice when selecting a file format for long-term storage. For example:

"When selecting a format consider the following aspects:

"When selecting a format consider the following aspects:

Line 44:

Line 34:

* The format can be opened, read, and accessed using readily-available tools."

* The format can be opened, read, and accessed using readily-available tools."

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Look up your file format at the UK National Archives and find out how well it is supported: [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/PRONOM/BasicSearch/proBasicSearch.aspx?status=new "PRONOM Technical Registry"]

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3) Similarly, in 2008 the UK National Archives published a guide to [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/selecting-file-formats.pdf "Selecting File Formats for Long-Term Preservation"]. This document provides instructions as to how to '''Look up your file format''' and find out how well it is supported: [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/PRONOM/BasicSearch/proBasicSearch.aspx?status=new "PRONOM Technical Registry"]

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Note the differing levels of support provided by the University of Michigan for different file formats: [http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/about/deepbluepreservation.jsp "Deep Blue Preservation and Format Support Policy"] and [http://hul.harvard.edu/ois/digpres/guidance.html "Harvard's Recommended File Formats"].

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4) Note the differing levels of support provided by the University of Michigan for different file formats: [http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/about/deepbluepreservation.jsp "Deep Blue Preservation and Format Support Policy"] and [http://hul.harvard.edu/ois/digpres/guidance.html "Harvard's Recommended File Formats"].

This site provides a comprehensive overview of what needs to be considered, and also drills down to specifics, such as how to label, how to back up, what to do in case of hard drive failure, virus attack or camera card failure.

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# International Imaging Industry Association recommendations for digital photos: [http://www.savemymemories.org/ "Are your memories safe?"] This site provides a comprehensive overview of what needs to be considered, and also drills down to specifics, such as how to label, how to back up, what to do in case of hard drive failure, virus attack or camera card failure.

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# Here are some examples of [https://www.imagepermanenceinstitute.org/resources/forms-image-deterioration "Forms of Image Deterioration"] from the Image Permanence Institute.

Here are some examples of [https://www.imagepermanenceinstitute.org/resources/forms-image-deterioration "Forms of Image Deterioration"] from the Image Permanence Institute.

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*'''Text'''

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=== Text Documents===

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# [http://hul.harvard.edu/ois/digpres/docs/OIS_recs_for_pdf.pdf "Recommendations for PDF Files Created for Long-term Preservation and Access"] by Andrea Goethals Harvard University Library. Basics include: Prefer PDF/A, add metadata to the files, remove security restrictions, embed all document fonts, tag if possible, include OCR if the PDF is created from images... and more.

'''[http://hul.harvard.edu/ois/digpres/docs/OIS_recs_for_pdf.pdf "Recommendations for PDF Files Created for Long-term Preservation and Access"]''' by Andrea Goethals Harvard University Library. Basics include: Prefer PDF/A, add metadata to the files, remove security restrictions, embed all document fonts, tag if possible, include OCR if the PDF is created from images... and more.

# [http://www.amianet.org/groups/committees/preservation/preservation.php "The Association of Moving Image Archivists: Preservation"] Storage standards, fact sheets, film shrinkage gauge and more, from the leading A/V experts in the field.

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Do you use blogs, Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or other social media? Here's your options for managing and/or archiving your content there so you can back it up properly.

# [http://blogs.loc.gov/digitalpreservation/2012/04/archiving-cell-phone-text-messages/ "Archiving Cell Phone Text Messages"] If you value this type of correspondence... this is worth a read. It's not easy or convenient, but it is possible to capture this content.

If you value this type of correspondence... this is worth a read. It's not easy or convenient, but it is possible to capture this content.

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*'''Social Media and Web Archives'''

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Do you use blogs, Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or other social media? Do you have your own website? Here's your options for managing and/or archiving your content there so you can back it up properly.

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'''[http://howto.wired.com/wiki/Make_a_Local_Backup_Of_Your_Gmail_Account "Make a Local Backup of Your Gmail Account"]'''

* [http://lifehacker.com/5720731/resolved-keep-your-computer-safe-clean-and-backed-up-in-2011 "Resolved: How to Keep Your Computer Safe, Clean, and Backed Up in 2011"] (Website) Backup tips from Lifehacker.

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* [http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/04/cloud-storage-a-pricing-and-feature-guide-for-consumers/ "Cloud storage: a pricing and feature guide for consumers"] Dated April 26, 2012, this is a blog post by Casey Johnston to assist those who want to store their content in the cloud.

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* [http://online-storage-service-review.toptenreviews.com/index.html "2012 Best Online Storage Service Comparisons and Reviews"]

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What to back up, all the ways data can be lost, and why you shouldn't trust the cloud for storage.

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===Data Recovery===

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'''[http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/04/cloud-storage-a-pricing-and-feature-guide-for-consumers/ "Cloud storage: a pricing and feature guide for consumers"]'''

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[http://www.drivesaversdatarecovery.com/company-info/recovery-tips/ "Recovery Tips"] What to watch for, prepare against, and what your options are... this is offered by a company ("DriveSavers") selling their data recovery services.

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Dated April 26, 2012, this is a blog post by Casey Johnston to assist those who want to store their content in the cloud.

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'''[http://online-storage-service-review.toptenreviews.com/index.html "2012 Best Online Storage Service Comparisons and Reviews"]'''

* [http://isda.ncsa.uiuc.edu/NARA/CSR/php/search/conversions.php Conversion Software Registry] -- given an input format and desired output format, this interface will provide you with a list of software options for transforming your files.

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What to watch for, prepare against, and what your options are... this is offered by a company ("DriveSavers"0 selling their data recovery services.

[http://isda.ncsa.uiuc.edu/NARA/CSR/php/search/conversions.php Conversion Software Registry] -- given an input format and desired output format, this interface will provide you with a list of software options for transforming your files.

* [http://lifehacker.com/341950/belvedere-automates-your-self+cleaning-pc Belvedere] -- on Windows, this software can be configured to automatically move, copy, delete, rename, or open files based on name, extension, size, creation date and more. For Macs, try [http://www.noodlesoft.com/hazel.php Hazel].

[http://lifehacker.com/341950/belvedere-automates-your-self+cleaning-pc Belvedere] -- on Windows, this software can be configured to automatically move, copy, delete, rename, or open files based on name, extension, size, creation date and more. For Macs, try [http://www.noodlesoft.com/hazel.php Hazel].

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Much of the content of this page came from [http://library.columbia.edu/content/libraryweb/indiv/dhc/online-information-resources-for-personal-digital-archiving.html Columbia University Libraries], [http://dpoutreach.net "Digital Preservation in a Box"] (A product of the National Digital Stewardship Alliance), and [http://www.digitalpreservation.gov:8081/education/ The Library of Congress Digital Preservation Outreach and Education modules].

2) Personal Digital Archiving iLibrarian Series" Based on a 3-hour hands-on workshop on "Personal Digital Archiving," this site features a series of blog posts by Ellyssa Kroski, Manager of Information Systems at the New York Law Institute.

3) "Guidelines for creators of personal archives" This practical overview from the Paradigm project (University of Manchester and JISC) includes practical tips, including intellectual property rights and privacy concerns and the benefits of using open source software.

5) Here's a New York Times series of articles on archiving family history, by Bertram Lyons, an archivist at the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress in Washington:
[1][2][3]

File Formats

General Guidance Documents

1) "Sustainability of Digital Formats" The Library of Congress describes the attributes they consider important when selecting file formats for archiving the LC collections. These include disclosure, adoption, transparency, self-documentation, external dependencies, impact of patents, and technical protection mechanisms. They provide a list of different formats, continually updated, and rate them according to these considerations. Look yours up here to see how well LC thinks it rates in terms of these attributes: "Format Descriptions".

"When selecting a format consider the following aspects:
* The format should be publicly and openly documented.
* The format is non-proprietary.
* The format is in widespread use.
* The format is self-documenting.
* The format can be opened, read, and accessed using readily-available tools."

International Imaging Industry Association recommendations for digital photos: "Are your memories safe?" This site provides a comprehensive overview of what needs to be considered, and also drills down to specifics, such as how to label, how to back up, what to do in case of hard drive failure, virus attack or camera card failure.

Do you use blogs, Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or other social media? Do you have your own website? Here's your options for managing and/or archiving your content there so you can back it up properly.

"Preserving Personal Web Content" Abigail Grotke, web archiving team lead and Gina Jones, digital media project coordinator, both from the Office of Strategic Initiatives’ Web Archiving team at the Library of Congress, offer practical advice on preserving web content from the May 10, 2010 Library of Congress Personal Archiving Day.